Lock



Jan. 15 192,4. 1,480,759

IE. A. HILL LOCK Filed Feb, 14. 1922 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 r {I :1 IT? I Eierzyfumz'll,

Jan. 15 1924. 1,480,759

E. A. HILL LOCK Filed Feb. 14 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' 4 -12 .7.

Elev? 7 37' Patented Jan. 15, 1924.

iTEn STATES PA IEN T OFFICE.

ELERT A. I-IILL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO STOP-BURGLAR LOCK COMPANY,OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATIONOF CALIFORNIA.

LOCK.

Application filed February 14, 1922. Sean No. 536,581.

To all whom it may concern:

I Be it known that I, ELERT A. HILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Locks, .of which the following is a specification. i

' This invention particularlypertains to a keyless lock of the type in which the lock mechanism is operated in unlocking the look by actuating a series of push buttons.

M An object of the invention is to provide a lock of the above character adapted to be operated by various combinations of ime pulses or depressions of the push buttons and in which the combination may be readily changed. I

Another object is to provide a lock having a series of concealed rotary tumblers adapted to be operated by push button means to impart an intermittent rotary movement to the tumbler and to provide an etiective means whereby the movement of a bolt may be controlled by said tumblers. Another object is to provide ameans for determining the starting position of a tumbler adapted to be adjusted to operate according to any combination at which the tumbler may be set to release a bolt.

A further object is to provide a lock of the above character in which the parts are so constructed that they may be made to occupy a small space so as to produce a combination lock mechanism adapted to be employed on small closures such as those used in lock-boxes, lockers, and small safes, but

which, however, is equally applicable to locks of heavier types;

With the foregoing objects in view together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the in vention consists in the parts and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, or the equivalentsthereof, as hereinafter set forth and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure .1 is a view of a look as seen in front elevation showingit as applied to a circular closure.

Fig. 2 is a View in horizontal section as seenon the line 22 of Fig. 3 with parts broken away.

as seen on the line Fig. 3 is a view in section and elevation I as seen on the line 38 of Fig. 4,and view mg the lock mechanism from the rear.

F ig, 4 is a detail in section, partly in elevation as seen on the line H of Fig. 3. s

F ig. 5 is a vie-Win elevation of a, device adapted to be employed as areminder in operatingthe lock. i

Fig. 6 is a detail in section and perspective 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevational plan of the lock bolt.

More specifically 7 indicatesa wall which is here shown as constituting a door or closure, but which may comprise any suitable wall for supporting a lock mechanism and carried on the inner face of the wall is a series of spaced parallel flanges 8 formed with aligned circular openings 9 through which a reciprocal cylindrical bolt 10 slidably extends, and formed on the inner face of the wall is a marginal flange ll here shown as comprismg an annular flange which is formed with an opening 12 aligning with'the openings 9 and through which the outer end of the bolt 10 is adapted to extend to engage an opening 13- in a wall 14 here shown as comprising the margin of the opening to be closed by the door or closure. The bolt 10 is here shown as adapted to be maintained in a normall retracted position by the action of a coi spring 15 innermost flange 8 and a projection 16 on' the bolt. The bolt is formed with a longitudinal channel 17 and is provided with a series of peripheral channels 18 which communicate with the longitudinal channel 17, and which channels 18 are formed with inclined bottom walls 19, and vertical side-walls: 20, which walls 20 constitute annular shoulders around thebolt. The bolt 10 is designed to be held against rotation so as to maintain the longi- 5 wound on the bolt and bearing between the tudinal channel in a fixed position in one pivot pin 24 on a second bolt 25 mounted I in an opening 26 in the flange 11 which secondary bolt is thus adapted to be moved in unison with the bolt 10 and moved in and out of engagement with an opening 27 in the flange 14.

Arranged between the adjacent flanges 8 are rotary tumblers 28 which are mounted to revolve on the bolt 10 which bolt has longitudinal movement through the tumblers. Each of the tumblers is formed with a radial recess 29 in which is mounted a reciprocal pin 30 adapted to extend into the annular channels 18 on the bolt and to be positioned in alignment with the channel 17 by rotating the tumblers 28. A spring 31 bears between the pin 30 and the bottom of the recess 29 to maintain the pin in an advanced position, yet permit the pin being retracted 'to ride over the wallsseparating adjacent annular channels on advance movement of the bolt.

The outer periphery of each tumbler is formed with a series of ratchet teeth 32 here shown as ten in number and'which, for the purpose of facilitating setting the lock to operate at different comblnations, bear numbers 1 to 10 in their order; theteethbeing numbered in the direction opposite that in which the tumbler is to rotate, asyfor example Where the tumblersare to be rotated clock-wise, the teeth will be numbered counter clock-wise. 30

Extending transversely of each of the tumblers 28 adjacent the periphery thereof is a push-pin '33 the outer portion of which projects'through the wall 7 and constitutes a push-button. The inner end of the pin is reduced in diameter and is supported in a plate 34 carried by the flangesS and bearing between the plate'and a shoulder 35 on the pin is a spring 36 which acts to normally maintain the push-pin in an advanced pos tion. Mounted on the push-pin is a catch 36 adapted to'engage the teeth 32 on the tumbler which catch is here shown as mounted in 'a' recess 37 formed in the push-pin and is .acted on by'a spring 38 bearing between the bottom of the recess and the catch to normally'maintain the'latter in an advanced position. The catch is adapted on" advance of the push pin to move the tumbler the length of a ratchet tooth and on retraction of theflpush-pin' to ride into engagement with an adjacent ratchet tooth.

Extending through the wall 7 oppositethe periphery ofeaeh tumbler is a slidable pin 39 the inneren'd of which bears against the periphery of the tumbler under the action of a spring 40 which pin serves in riding over a ratchet tooth to indicate the positions of the ratchet teeth and the tumbler pin 30 on each tumbler relative to the longitudinal channel in the bolt, as will later be described.

The sides of the tumblers are formed with recesses 41 at the inner end of each ratchet tooth adapted to receive a U-shaped clip 42 which may be engaged with the periphery of one ratchet tooth and the low portion of the adjacent ratchet tooth so that the pin 39 in riding over the clip will have a stepped movement imparted thereto.

Means are provided for advancing the bolt 10 in opposition to the spring 15 here shown as comprising a cam 43 arranged with its periphery in alignment with the end of the bolt and which cam is mounted on a shaft 44 extending through the wall 7 fitted with a knob 45 by which the cam may be turned to actuate the bolt.

In the operation of the invention to set the combination of the lock the clip 42 is positioned adjacent a pro-determined ratchet tooth according to the number of impulses it is desired to impart to a push-pin to bring the catch 30 on the tumbler into alignment with the longitudinal channel in the bolt immediately after the pin has passed over the clip 42. For example, assuming it is desired that one impulse of the push-pin be required to dispose tumbler-pin 30 on one of the tumblers in alignment with the chan nel 17, the tumbler would be set so that the tooth. numbered 1 would be opposite the indicating pin 39 in which position the tumbler-pin 30 would be located so that two steps or impulses of the tumbler would bring the tumbler-pin in alignment with the channel. The clip 42 would then be disposed at the end of the ratchet tooth numbered 1 at its intersection with the ratchet tooth numbered 10; so that on depressing the push-pin to effect one impulse of the tumbler to cause the indicator pin 39 to ride over the clip 42 with a stepped movement, the operator could determine either by observing the movement of the pin 39 or feeling its movement as by pressing a'finger on the end of the pin, that the tumbler was in a starting position and being aware that the clip was positioned at the end of tooth numbered 1 would know that one impulse of the tumbler after the signaling movement of the indicator pin the cam 43 serving throughout a portion of tumblers are disposed with the tumbler pins in alignment with the channel 17, the lock may be freely locked and unlocked by turning the knob 45 to reciprocate the bolt.

When it is desired to lock the bolt in its advanced position one or more of the tumblers is turned to dispose the tumbler pin thereon out of alignment with the channel 17; the tumbler pin passing into one of the circumferential channels 18. On advancing the bolt by operating the cam 43 the tumbler pin or pinslocated out of alignment with the channel 17 will ride over the walls between adjacent channels ,18 into engagement with an annular wall or shoulder 20 so as to hold the bolt in its advanced position.

In unlocking the look by the combination mechanism the operator first actuates each push-button to determine the starting position of the tumblers controlled thereby, and then imparts the necessary number of stepped movements of the tumbler accord ing to the predetermined combination as before described to bring each of the tumbler pins into alignment with the channel 17 whereupon the spring 15 will act to retract the bolt in event the cam 43 is positioned to permit rearward movement of the bolt, which cam, however, may be disposed to hold the bolt against retraction in which event it would be necessary to turn the knob 45 after the combination mechanism has been operated to release the bolt.

As a means for aiding the operator to remember the combination at which the lock is set a reminding device is provided, here shown as comprising a ring 46 divided by suitable markings into a series ofsegments corresponding to the number of tumblers in the lock each of which segments is formed with a series of peripheral notches 47 corresponding in number to the teeth on the tumbler which notches are adapted to receive a clip 42. The segments are numbered and the push-buttons are provided with corresponding numbers either arranged on the push-button or on the wall 7 adjacent thereto. When one of the tumblers has been set as before described as by placing a clip 42 adjacent tooth numbered 1 on the tumbler which for example let it be assumed is the tumbler operated by the push-button numbered 1 then by placing a clip 42 in a notch numbered 1 on the segment numbered 1 a remmder of the pre-determined combination is afforded. In like manner a clip 42 is. mounted in a notch 47 in each of the segments 2, 3 and 4 to correspond with the position with the clips on the tumblers controlled by pushbuttons numbered 2, 3 and 4. Any suitable number of the tumblers may be provided in a look as occasion may require. Four tumblers being shown as employed in the look here disclosed, and if desired in order to render the discovery of the combination more difficult dummy push-buttons may be rovided, one of which is here shown in igure 1 as number 5.

The lock mechanism may obviously be mounted on any suitable supporting structure and applied to any desired form of door or closure. But for the purposes of illustration it is here shown as mounted directly on a circular closure which is de signed to be moved in a straight line in and out of its aperture, and to be turned to one side of the aperture when in its open position. For this purpose a stem 48 is formed on the wall 7 adjacent to one edge thereof which slidably telescopes with a sleeve 49 suitably mounted on the wall or flange 14 encircling the aperture, the stem 48 having a flange 50 that would co-operate with an inturned flange 51 on the sleeve to limit outward movement of the stem@ The stem and sleeve are of such length that the closure may be moved outwardly such distance that the rear portion thereof will clear the front of the casing of the aperture whereupon the closure may be swung downwardly with the stem 48 as a pivot as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1.

The push-pins may be arranged to extend above or below the tumblers being here shown as arranged with two of the push-pins extending above the tumblers and two extending beneath the tumblers and the push-pins and tumblers with their coacting ratchet teeth and catches may be arranged so that the tumblers will be moved either on the advanced movement to the push-pins or upon the retraction thereof.

I claim:

1. In a look a reciprocal bolt, a plurality of rotary tumblers mounted for complete rotation on said bolt, spring means for retracting said bolt, means on said tumblers engageable with said bolt for holding the bolt in advanced position in opposition to said sprin means, and means whereby retraction o the bolt relative to the tumblers may be permitted on disposing of said tumblers in a pre-determined position relative to each other.

2. In a look a reciprocal bolt, a plurality of rotary tumblers mounted for complete rotation on said bolt, a spring for retracting said bolt, means on said tumblers engageable on said bolt iforholding the bolt ad- 3. In a lock a reciprocalbolt formed with a series of circumferential channels and pro vided with a longitudinal channel, a spring for moving said, bolt in onedirection, a plu rality or rotary tumblers carried on said ,bolt, a spring pressed pin on each of said tumblers adapted to engage the side or a channel to hold the bolt advanced in opposition to said spring and adapted to be aligned with the longitudinal channel and means for turning each of ,said tumblers step by step. I I L 4. In a lock a reciprocal boltflformed with a series of circumferential channels and pro vided with a longitudinal c iannel, a spring for moving said bolt in one direction, a plurality of rotary tumblers carried on said bolt, a spring pressed pin on each of said tumblers adapted to engagethe side of a channel to hold the bolt advanced in opposition to said spring and adapted to be aligned with the longitudinal channel and means for turning each oi'said tumblers step by step; and means tor advancing Said bolt in opposition to saidspring. r

5. In a lock a reciprocal bolti'ormed with a series of circumferential channels and provided with alongitudinal channel, a spring for moving said'bolt in one direction, a plurality of rotary tumblers carried on said bol.t,.a spring pressed pin on each of said tumblers adapted to engage the side of a channelto hold the bolt advanced in opposition to said spring and adapted to be aligned with the longitudinal channel, means for turning each of said tumblers st-ep by step, means for advancing said bolt in opposit on to said spring, and means operable by turning said tumblers for indicating a startstep, and means for advancing said bolt in OPPOSltlOn to said spring.

7, In a look a rotary tumbler formed with ratchet teeth, an indicator pin arranged to be engaged by said ratchet teethand rec1pcroc-ated on rotation of the tumbler, and a clipadapted to be mounted on the periphery ofthe tumbler in predetermined positions for etfectinga variation in movement of said ind cator pm.

'8. In a look a rotary tumbler formed with peripheralratchet teeth, means for advancing said tumbler step by step, lock mechanism controlled by said tumbler, an indicator pin arranged to be engaged by the ratchetteeth on rotation of the tumbler and means on the tumbler for effecting a variable movement of the indicator pin for designating a starting position of the tumbler.

ELERT A. HILL. 

